Feb 25 A Short Glossary of Book Nerds' Commonly Used Terms

Add these terms to your vocab to be like the cool book nerdy kids. Source: unsplash

If you thought TBR stood for Taco Bell Run and ARC is the town where that sword-wielding gal Joan is from, this post is for you.

Each passion and vocation has its own jargon and book nerdiness is no different. So I've put together a short glossary of book nerds' commonly used terms.

ARC: an acronym for Advanced Reader's Copy. This is a book in it's almost final form that is sent out to reviews to generate hype before the book comes out. Can also be called an uncorrected proof since the ARC is not the absolute final state of the book. ARCs can be sent as ebooks or hard copies. An ARC can also be called a galley copy or an e-galley if the ARC is an ebook. Also called an Advanced Reader's Edition, though the acronym does not change to ARE when used in this context.

book mail: books that have come in the mail either as a result of a purchase the book nerd has made, or as a result of publishers wishing the book nerd to review ARCs.

book polygamist: one who has an ongoing relationship with multiple books at once. Reading many books simultaneously.

book shimmy: that shake of the shoulders and torso that book nerds do when they get really excited about a book. Book shimmying is often induced by opening book mail. Or learning that your favorite author is writing a new book. Or learning that the latest book in your favorite series is out. Or really anything to do with books.

bookternet: a portmanteau for "bookish internet." The bookternet is where book news can be found on the internet.

DNF: an acronym for Did Not Finish. While some book guilt surrounds DNF, sometimes it just cannot be helped.

format: with regard to reading, format is the vessel by which you consume books. Can be physical books (including both paperback and hard cover), e-readers (including the iPad, Nook, Kindle, and Kobo), and audiobooks (including cassette, CD, or digital download).

genre: the labels we use to categorize a type of media. With regard to books, it can be as general as fiction and nonfiction or as specific historical fiction romance or cookbook memoir.

reading diversely: refers to the practice of reading authors who are outside of the majority. This is most often used in reference to reading the works of authors who are persons of color, but can also be applied to authors who are of different faiths than the majority, authors who have a different sexual orientation than the majority, and authors who have different levels of able-bodiedness than the majority. Not to be confused with reading widely.

reading widely: refers to the practice of reading across a wide variety of genres and formats. Not to be confused with reading diversely.

TBR: an acronym for To Be Read. A TBR is the list of books a book nerd plans on reading. Can also be called TBR list, TBR pile, or if there are many, many books to be read, TBR shelf.

Are there any other book nerd terms you use? Which are new to you and which are your favorites? Tell me in the comments below!